Metadata language
Szymaszek, Aneta (1977- ) : Supervisor
Publisher:Instytut Biologii Doświadczalnej im. Marcelego Nenckiego PAN
Place of publishing: Date issued/created: Description:65, [4] pages, offprints (various pagination) : illustrations ; 30 cm ; Summary of professional accomplishments: access to original works available only with the thesis' manuscript stored at the library collection ; Bibliography ; Summary in English
Degree name: Degree discipline : Degree grantor:Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS ; degree obtained: 10.10.2025
Type of object: Subject and Keywords:Aphasia ; Cognitive training ; Language exercises ; Neurorehabilitation ; Temporal information processing
Abstract:
Epidemiological data indicates that the number of people suffering a stroke is increasing every year. One of the most common consequences of a stroke is aphasia, defined as an impairment of language functions. Growing attention is being paid to the occurrence of deficits in non-linguistic cognitive functions in individuals with aphasia, such as memory, attention, planning, and temporal information processing (TIP). These deficits intensify the severity of language impairments and hinder the therapy process. Given the temporal dynamics of speech production and comprehension, as well as other cognitive functions supporting language processes, TIP deficits appear to play a particularly significant role in the deficits observed in aphasia. The present thesis consists of three articles focusing on the relationship between non-linguistic cognitive functions, with a special focus on TIP efficiency, and language functions in individuals with aphasia. The first study examines the relationship between short-term and working memory, TIP, and speech comprehension. It was observed that individuals with aphasia exhibit greater short-term memory efficiency, both verbal and spatial, compared to working memory. Furthermore, higher levels of verbal and spatial short-term memory, as well as verbal and spatial working memory, were associated with better speech comprehension. Further analyses showed that the relationship between memory performance and TIP depends on the modality of the memorised material. TIP was found to be closely linked to spatial working memory. However, its significance was less pronounced for verbal short-term and working memory, as well as spatial short- term memory. In these types of memory in individuals with aphasia, the severity of speech comprehension deficits played a key role. The second study aimed to determine the relationship between the parameters of the P300 potential and the efficiency of cognitive functions in individuals with aphasia. It was demonstrated that shorter latency of the potential was associated with better TIP, psychomotor speed, spatial short-term memory, planning, word comprehension, global speech comprehension, and verbal fluency. These results suggest that in individuals with aphasia, the latency of the P300 potential may serve as an reliable indicator of cognitive function efficiency, particularly those functions for which speed of information processing is critical. The third study evaluated the effectiveness of a new training developed for individuals with aphasia, based on the Dr. Neuronowski® program. This training focused on the comprehensive improvement of various cognitive functions with an emphasis on TIP. It was shown to improve both trained non-linguistic cognitive functions and untrained language functions. After training, the improvement was observed in TIP, verbal short-term and working memory, phonemic hearing, global speech comprehension, grammar comprehension, naming, and verbal fluency. In contrast, the control training, which was based solely on language exercises, resulted in improvement only in the directly trained functions. These findings indicate that exercises that target non-linguistic cognitive functions, including TIP, provide greater benefits than training language functions alone. This presented series of studies highlights the importance of non-linguistic cognitive functions in the comprehensive understanding, diagnosis, and rehabilitation of aphasia. In particular, TIP is considered by some researchers to be a logistical basis of cognitive functions, including language functioning. Incorporating TIP exercises and other non-linguistic cognitive function training into aphasia therapy may have significant benefits for patients.
Copyright-protected material. May be used within the limits of statutory user freedoms
Copyright holder:Publication made available with the written permission of the author
Digitizing institution:Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Original in:Library of the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS
Access: